Private For-Profit Graduate Average 38/100

Los Angeles College of Music

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Pasadena, California

About Los Angeles College of Music

Thinking about Los Angeles College of Music, a college in California where more students graduate in Visual & Performing Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Los Angeles College of Music is a private for-profit institution offering graduate degrees based in Pasadena, California. It enrolls 227 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
87.7%
Graduation
56.1%
Net Price
$43,590
Median Earnings (10yr)
$31,758
Enrollment
227
Student : Faculty
5:1

Accreditor National Association of Schools of Music
Academic Calendar Quarter

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Average
38/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 17
Value 0
Affordability 11
Selectivity 27

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Los Angeles College of Music admits 87.7% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
87.7%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Los Angeles College of Music is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 10.6 pts since 2019
70.7%201977%202083%202182.8%202281.4%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $43,590 a year on average, it sits above what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$43,590
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
32%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$30,540
Room & Board (on-campus)
$22,086
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,968
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,968
Total Cost of Attendance
$49,705

Application fee: $60 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $42,657
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $41,484
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $43,352
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $49,455
  • Over $110,000
    $44,642

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,500
25% percentile
$27,938
Median percentile
$16,000
75% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $21,125 ↓ $6,813
No Pell $12,000 ↓ $15,938
Female students $18,035 ↓ $9,903
Male students $16,000 ↓ $11,938
Pell recipients: 31.5% (8,788 students)No Pell: 17.9% (4,992 students)Female students: 26.9% (7,502 students)Male students: 23.8% (6,656 students)Overall Median$27,938
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,584, less than completers ($27,938), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

56% of students who start here finish within six years, and 65% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
56%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $31,758 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$31,758
Earning > $25K
54%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$20,000$25,000$30,000$35,000$40,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Stable ↓ 2.3 pts across 6 years
57.1%1yr62.1%3yr54.8%5yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 55% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 227 students, an intimate, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
227
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
—

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
International 50.7% 115
Hispanic 8.8% 20
White 8.4% 19
Black 4.0% 9
Asian 3.5% 8
Other 2.2% 5
International: 50.7% (115 students)Hispanic: 8.8% (20 students)White: 8.4% (19 students)Black: 4.0% (9 students)Asian: 3.5% (8 students)Other: 2.2% (5 students)Total227

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Los Angeles College of Music. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Pasadena, California
Housing
Mostly residential 104 beds on campus
Adult Learners
13% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarter scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Los Angeles College of Music offers a focused set of programs: 5 distinct programs across 1 major. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

5 Programs
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)

Faculty & Resources

There are 5 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
5:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,500
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

1 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
No Rank 1 100% $52,500

Pros & Cons of Los Angeles College of Music

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Los Angeles College of Music is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
CONS
  • High net price compared to most US colleges
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for: Based on the data, Los Angeles College of Music is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Los Angeles College of Music

The questions families ask most about Los Angeles College of Music, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Los Angeles College of Music hard to get into?
Not especially. Los Angeles College of Music admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 87.7%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Los Angeles College of Music?
87.7% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Los Angeles College of Music cost?
Budget around $43,590 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Los Angeles College of Music worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $31,758 a year against a net price of $43,590, about 0.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Los Angeles College of Music known for?
Mostly Music, Music, Music. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Los Angeles College of Music graduates earn?
About $31,758 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Los Angeles College of Music accredited?
Yes. Los Angeles College of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
How many students attend Los Angeles College of Music?
227 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Los Angeles College of Music?
56% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Los Angeles College of Music a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is Los Angeles College of Music located?
Los Angeles College of Music is located in Pasadena, California.
What programs does Los Angeles College of Music offer?
5 different programs, most commonly Music, Music, Music. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Los Angeles College of Music?
5 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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